Chapter 10 · The Sister Lock

Kade's hand was crushing my throat and I couldn't breathe.

I clawed at his wrist but it was like trying to move a steel beam. His eyes were pure gold now, no gray left, and they weren't looking at me. They were looking through me. His other hand came up and I knew I had maybe three seconds before my windpipe snapped.

"Kade." I couldn't get air behind it. It came out as a wheeze.

Claire was screaming something but the blood pounding in my ears drowned it out. The room tilted. My vision started to gray at the edges.

Then Kade's grip loosened.

Not by much. Just enough that I could drag in half a breath. His hand was shaking. The tremor ran up his whole arm and into his shoulder. His jaw was locked so tight I could see the muscle jumping under his skin.

"M—" He choked on the word. "Mara."

His voice sounded like it was being dragged over broken glass.

I grabbed his wrist with both hands. Not to pull him off. To hold on. "I'm here."

"Can't—" His fingers twitched. Tightened. "Can't stop it."

The gold in his eyes flickered.